Truck.



W. L. HAMILTON.

TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 1G. 1.912.

1,1 14,752, Patented 00:1.1914

2 SHEETSMSHEBT l.

A TTRNE VAS- W. L. HAMILTON.

TRUCK.

APIMUATION FILED FEB.16,1912.

1 114,752. Panend oct. 1914. 2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

2L 25 38 q u 375x 1 37 rm ruff-7- WITNESS/Es /N VENTO/e A TTORNEYS,

WALTER LOOMIS HAMILTON, F HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS.

TRUCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 27, 1914.

Application filed February 16, 1912. Serial No. 678,020.

To all whom it may concern le it known that I, WALTER Looms HAM- ]L'rox, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Holyoke, in the county of Hampden and State of Massaehusetts, have invented a new and useful Truck, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements 1n trucks, and more especially to trucks such as are used in factories, warehouses, stores, and other places to haul goods or materials l rom one point to another by hand, and to such trucks in which the construction is of a nature whereby a horizontal movement can be converted into a verti tal movement, and said invention resides particularly in a certain peculiar construction of the framework ot' the truck and in certain peculiar means or mechanism, operated by the handle o1 tongue of the truck, for operatinfy in turn or moving' thc upper truck section in relation to the lower truck section, or vice versa, all as hereinrftei set forth..

The objccas olA my invention are, first, to produce an elevating truck for use in raisingl goods or material ilroin the support tberel'i'u', or with such support, from tln` floor, hauling said goods or material to any des-ned place, and there depositing the same, v` bei-cbj.' n huge saving in tnne,labor and eXY pense elicctid; second, to produce a truck oi' thi. l'zind and for this purpose which comparatirely Isimple, both in construction and ol Talion. light `and inexpensive, and, at the sonic time, very durable and exceedingly strong: lbiwl. to pr i ide such a truck with powerful, prick-acting operating means which is under the control ot' the handle or tongue oi' they truck and mayl be said to be automatically cont rolled by the latter`r to the end that Imid truck not only rendered capable oi' handling a great weight, but of doing ,so with the expenditure of the mininuun amount ot exertion or cllort on the part oi' the ourator, and, fourth, to provide a truck which. while it has a sulicient range of elevation, nevertheless, so low, or is capable ot being depressed to such an extent that it can be ,operated in connection with a st; l; ot' gooos or material that is supported close to the Hoor, this being very advantageous because ol the desirability of piliiigor stacking the goods or1 material without a great amount ot' space between the bottom ot' the same and the Iloor.

A preferred form of embodiment of the invention, whereby I attain the ob]ects and secure the advantages of the same, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and I will proceed to describe the invention with reference to said drawings, although it is to be understood that the form, construction, arrangement, etc., of the parts in various aspects are not material and may be modified without departure from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings, in which like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, Figure l is a top plan of a truck which embodies said invention; Fig. 2, a side elevation of such truck; Fig. 3, a longitudinal vertical section through' said truck, taken on lines 3-3, looking in the direction of the associated arrow, in Fig. l, in this view, however, the upper truck section is raised and the operating mechanism disposed accordingly, while in the first two views such section is depressed and such mechanism correspondingly disposed; Fig. 4, an enlarged cross-section on lines L -4, looking in the direction of the associated arrow, Fig. l; Fig. 5, an enlarged cross-section on lines 5-5, looking in the direction oi the associated arrow, Fig. l; Fig. 6, an enlarged top plan of fragments, occupying their proper relation to cach other` of the members on one side of the upper and under truck sections; Fig. 7, an enlarged inside elevation of the parts shown in the preceding view, the fragment of the upper truck section being represented in an elevated position; Fig. 8, an enlarged inside elevation of the lower truck-section fragment shown in Figs. 6 and 7; Fig. t), an enlarged elevation of what is in reality the outside face of the upper truck-section fragment shown in said Figs. 6 and 7, and, Fig. 10, an enlarged longitudinal vertical section on lines 10-10, looking in the direction of the associated arrow, Fig. G.

This truck comprises an under section or body mounted on rolls or wheels, a superimposed or upper section or platform arranged f; to be moved longitudinally or horizontally and vertically on said body, and mechanism for so moving said platform when the tongue of the truck is swung up and down on its pivot, providedthere be no load on the truck; when the truck is loaded, however, the lower section instead of the upper section is the one that nieves longitudinally, as will be more clcarly\disclos`ed hereinafter.`

Preferably the frame or framework of the truck is constructed of one or more I-beams and cliannel1ons, together with whatever tie and brace members may be required, two angle-irons and two bars being used 'lor the latter in the present ease, although other materials may be substituted provided the required llanges be provided.

The lower section or body consists Vin this ease of a Single Lbeain bent upwarilly and forwardly at the front to torni a prow l and having parallel side pieces 13(l. The body' is supported at the back end by two wheels 7. The wheels '1 are mounted on :in axle S which is, journaled in the side pieces G adjacent to their rear ends, said wheels being outside of said side pieces.

The upper seetion or plat'l'ori'n consists of side pieces 9-41 made of ebannel-irons, and end pieces 11-11 made of angleirons. The end pieces 11 are rigidly attached to the side pieces E), and 1n ay be braced by means ol' two bars 152, wl'iirh have their forward ends rigidly uttarhed to the .frontend piece in the center and their rear wils rigidly attached to the back end ineen at or adjacent to the terminals of said last-mentioned end ieee.

A llooring 13 may be provided for the platform, if desired, .auch flooringhbeing placed on and attache-'1, il' ".'ieeessar'yg in any Suitable manner or by any suitable nxeane to the .side pieces S 1nd the end pieces 1l, and extending out over the rv'neels 7, substantially ai; .shown by doteanfl-dasl-4 linen in Fig. 1 and in full line in Figs. Q and o.

The channeliron sido pieces '3 are situ ated ine'. le of the I-Abeam sfide pieres lf3 with tbe llunges o1' tbe eliannel-irnis toward the outside, and with l'ieir upper flanges above the upper and inner libe-iin 'mngs nl their under flanges al'mve tbe under and inner I-boam llungjes. 'linie e wird it la plainly to be :geen that, by a suitable '.Iifposil'nn ot' eoaeling .vodgzz let'fwen tlm bodj.' f 1d plutforni, the laitier een be r( 'pwctirely elevated und deprewofi kben 13m. rras^iarflllr and moved forwardly 'To il piero l." iv. provided in tm ins'if'li' or between itL` inner flanges :ind Aliment to *.lie ieri-.ib 1mi linux' with ufo \.\'"--1l':|ti.'.- 1i. and rai-b ide piero to tile lirninalr. fr and 5115 uw i fr. i'lnngesl with two unige lilo.: 11,. fue Sie of l'our -zfiuvli "lp'3"1il!;j u" 'man Liber, or lwgig .Jr gri :ini-eil Hin! lilo) ont! o mining-rile. ln lbf# prv-unl www1 i llifmsjfli zln' lnro iiniimd 'n'if: f j s 1-lilofi -1 i :Wil u.

n?, und web side.

edges of each pair of cooperating Wedgebloeks 14 and 15, the former below and the latter above, are in contact with and may slide upon each other. As shown at 16, the upper flange of each side piece (5 on the inside is eut away above the inclined face of each wedge-block 14, with which said side piece is provided, for the accommodation of the wedge-'block 15 that rides on said firstmentioned Wedge-block and to enable the upper wedgeblook to pass f ove said side piece when the platform is elevated; and, s shown at 17, the bottom flange of each side piece 9 is eut away below the inclined faee of each wedge-block 15, with which said last-mentioned Side piece is provided, for the accommodation of the companion wedge-bleek 14 and to enable the side piece to pass downward when said platform is depreseedY see Figs.`

7 8. 9 and 10. llaeh side piece S) is recessed :it 18, behind live inclined edge ol the rear wedgebloelz 15 Carried by said sti/le piece, to receive the axlof and to enable said side to be moved reurwawll'.' iin". inwardly away from said axle and reimrnml to former relation therewith.

When the plat form is elevated or run up on the wedge-blocks the full dietanee, as shown in Fig'. 3, the bottom flanges of the side pieces 9 engage the inside upper flanges of the side pieces G and so prevent either end of the platform from being tilted, and :it no time 'can said platform tilt lo an eX- lert greater than (lie disllniee between the aifnwrdd flanges. Furthermore. the ennstruetion i4 such dltt the platform Cannot nieve laterally independently of tbe body.

The :nlvantag'es oi the framework of my trut-k. eonslrurlo-:l an just deserilwd. from slnndpoints of rigidity. stability, strength and durability, are clearly apparent.

.X third roll or Wheel 7 is provided to Support the front end Ot the truck and for ata-ering purposes. 'lhie front wheel 7 is mounted on un axle 19 journaled in a bifurn ruled swivel member 20 which has a ver tical spindle or post 21 journaled in an upright part ot or a bearing provided ai the apex of the prow 1., auch part or bearing,r appearing' at A washer 28 on the pmt 2l is Yii'il .rp -s=ed between the base of the bearing: Q52 and tbe top of the swivel 20, A nut flmay be provided at the upper end of lbr post Q1., above the top of the teu-ing E511. to prevent :said post from getlimf ont o1 plano in the event the 'Front end o" the trunk be rzfiisfed from the ioor for .iigf lili'KlflSl.

handle or long/:1e Q5, only the inner lerniinnl of wbieb appears in the drawings, l.: i.:-.\:id wl for lne lrurlc, :1nd tii'q tongue it. n 11n-trod terminal 213 each brunch of rbif ;i.nlnllj\' nonni-.wl on r, pin 27 lthe body, as the case may be, which mechanism will now be described in full. i

Two brackets or lugs 29 are rigidly attached to the front side of 'the forward end piece 11, and having its rear end pivotally attached at 30 to said lu'g's is a link 31; The link 31 is provided at its front end with a cross-head 32 that extends laterally from both sides thereof and is in the path of the liftrs 28. A pair of links 33 is pivotally f attached at 34 to opposite sides ofthe link 31, the lower or rear ends of said links 33,

/ according to the position of the same, be-

ing the parts that are mounted on the pivot 34. The pivot 34 is situated behind the cross-head 32. The front end of each link 33 is pivoted at 35 to one. side of a rearwardly projecting part, of the upright or bearing 22. Each link 33 has a recess 3G in its front orvbottom (according to position) edge in'position to receive the adja- ,cent arm of the cross-head 32 when-said cross-head is elevated. Rising from the i front end portion of each link 33 is an lso integral knock-off arm 37. Slidingly mounted in the upper part of the bearing 22 is a horizontal knock-off 38, the front end of which is in the path of the tongue 25 or of the closed end of the fork 2o'. The upper ends of the arms 37 are in the path o the rear end of the knock-off 38.

When the tongue 25 is in a vertical position, the platform is normally disposed and rests with the flanges of the siile pieces t) on the inner flanges of the side pieces f3, and the links 3l and 33 are down with the crosshead 32 bearing' on the litters 2S, as best shown in Fig. 2. Thus disposed the top ol' the platform is below the horizontal plane of the tops of the wheels; 7, although the upper surface of the flooring' lil is a little above such horizontal plane in the present construction. At thisl as at all times the upper wedge-blocks bear on the lower wedgeblocks.-

When the tongue 25 is swung forwardly and downwardly on the pins 27 into an approximately horizontal position, the lifters 28, acting through the medium of the cross-head 32, swing` the lilik 3l upwardly on its pivot 30 and at the same time swing the links 33 upwardly on their pivot 35, said links turning on the common axis provided by the pivot 34, until said cross-head comes to rest in the recesses 36 and so checks further upward movement of said links. This operation increases the distance between the pivots 3() and and so forces the platform rearwardly or the body forwardly, and causes said platform to move up, as the wedge-blocks l5 move rearwardly on the wedge-blocks l-l or the latter are drawn forwardly beneath the former. The rigidity alorfjed by the construction at the front end ot the truck, which includes the prow l and the hearing 22 securely attached thereto, is of a nature to enable the platform to be raised, in the manner just explained, even when it contains an exceedingly heavy load. The upward movement of the links is sutiicient, by the time the cross-head comes to rest in the recesses 36, to locate the pivot 3l a trifle above the plane common to the pivots 3() and 35, so that the platform locked in its elevated position by said links and cross-head and the link pivotsA The upward movement of the links 33 throws the arms 37 forward into a vertical posii'ion and into contact with the knock-ott' 53S, which latter by this action of said arms is thrust forwardly. The parts now stan/l as shown in Fig. 3. Upon again elevating` the tongue 2:3 and forcing1 it against the knock-oli' 3?, the latter drives back the arms 3T and so unlocks the links 3l and 33. hy actuating the latter downwardl)v and carrying with them the link 3l until the pivot 34 passes below thel plane common to the pivots 3() and 35, when the weight of the loa-'l or even of the platform causes said i'flaitorni to ride down into its forniti depri '1i l position airain, either the \veil;c-blocks sliding down on the wedgelilorks 'lor the latter sliding: up on the formel.: litters l@ pass away from the irow-hfarl if when the tu fue 2F is swui'ig; upwardly' und rcai\\'ar li v. lint saiil cross lieail conn.- donn mito :laid li'l'tel'sL as soon as tluJ linltare released or unlocked so that ihev can swing dfi-vn into the position shown in Fig.

Any load which ihe truck is adapted for can lic rai-ed and lowered speedily and with coniliamtive case hr this uiy aniann The pile or eacii ol fjools' or material to lie lianillel with nii' truck mpporteil from thc floor .it :i sliilicient ln ig,` to enable said truck to lie run i'ideithe sanic when the platform is 1li-p: eil, and usually portable benches are prm filed to sup-part such goods or niai'eria, such lienf'hiw being' raised, trau-inirleal/ and f-'et down again with the goods or material on them iluriut the entire operation. i

lhfeilv. the rau-ration olggthc truck as' a whole iff fn-ciilwil as toiloivs: The truck, with they t: iti 2f: flown as a rule, is hauled io the vicinilji of the load to he nioveiil and bache-(l up to the wnuc, 'il en said tongue is thrown upward and l'iaekward to lower the ion ' body consistin in art of a prow, said body being provide Wit wedge-blocks, and said prow being provided with a bearing, Yan axle and wheels arranged to support the rear end of said body, a swivel having its post journaled in said bearing and pro vided with a wheel to support the front end of said body and to serve as the steering medium for the truck, a tongue pivotally connected with" Said swivel and provided with lifters', and a knock-off slidingly mounted insaid bearing in the path of said tongue, of a platform provided with wedgeblocks slidingly mounted relative to said first-mentioned wedge-blocks, and A"links pivotally connected with each other and with said bearing and said (platform, one of such links being provide with a cross head arran ed in the path of said lifters and adapted to limit `the upward swing of said links, and one of said links being provided. with an arm in the path of said knock-off.

7. The combination, in the framework of a truck, with a body having flanged side pieces and provided with wedge-blocks, of a superimposed platform having flanged side pieces arran ed above and `between the flanges on said rstmentioned side pieces, and provided with wedge-blocks arranged in sliding relation to said first-mentioned wedge-blocks, the upper flanges of the body side pieces being cut away to accommodate the platform wedge-blocks and the bottom flanges of the platform side pieces being cut away to accommodate the body wedgeblocks.

8. The combination, in a truck, with a suitable body and a suitable superimposed platform arranged for relative horizontall movement, such body having an upright at its front end, and means toconvert such movement into a vertical movement, of a tongue provided with a lifter, pivotal connections between said body and said tongue and links pivotallconnected with each other and with said7 upright and said platform, one of such links having a member in the path of said lifter.

9. The combination, in a truck, with a suitable body and a suitable superimposed platform arranged for relative horizontal movement, such body having an upright at its front end, and means to convert said movement into a vertical movement, of a tongue provided with a lifter, pivotal connections between said body and said tongue, a knock-olf slidingl' mounted in said u right in the path ofy-said tongue, and linlis pivotally connected with each other and with said upright member and said platform, one of said links bein rovided with a member in the path of said lifter, and one of said links being provided with a member in the path of said knock-off.

WALTER LOOMIS HAMILTON.

Witnesses F. A. CUTTER, A'. C. FAIRBANKS. 

